Stephanie Nixon, long time Board member of both the Virginia Thoroughbred Association and Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, has been appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to serve on the Virginia Racing Commission effective November 2nd. She will replace the vacant Commissioner’s seat previously held by Dr. Charles Steger, who passed away on May 6th.

Nixon owns Horseshoe Hill Farm in Ashland where she has broke, owned, bred and raised horses for all of her adult life. At the age… Continue reading →

Accountable wore down front running favorite Jump Ship at the head of the stretch, then went on to a 1 1/4 length triumph in the $35,000 Old Dominion Turf Championship October 27th at Great Meadow. The 4-year-old Cosa Vera gelding captured the same 1 1/4 mile fall Championship race a year ago in dramatic come from behind fashion.

Accountable drives for the finish in the October 27th Old Dominion Turf Championship. Photo courtesy of Douglas Lees.

Overlooked by the betting… Continue reading →

A well-matched field of nine will line up for Saturday’s $40,000 Noel Laing Handicap, the featured race of the 84th annual Montpelier Hunt Races in Virginia.

The race meet on the grounds of James and Dolley Madison’s historic home will kick off with a 12:30 p.m. post time.

Ricky Hendriks, currently leading the battle for the training title, will saddle Rosbrian Farm’s Detroit Blues and Clarcam, owned by Rosbrian and Meadow Run Farm, for the 2 1/2-mile trip around Montpelier’s… Continue reading →

Four horses with Virginia connections will compete in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs on Friday November 2nd and Saturday November 3rd.

Catholic Boy is set to compete in the $6 Million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday and a face a star studded field in his toughest test yet. He is 8-1 early and will be amongst a field of 14.

Catholic Boy wins the 2018 Travers. Photo by Joe Labozzetta/NYRA.

Catholic Boy gave his trainer Jonathan… Continue reading →

The following appeared on National Steeplechase Association’s website and was written by Don Clippinger.

Doc Cebu and jockey Hadden Frost played cat and mouse with Le Chevalier for the first three miles of Saturday’s International Gold Cup before decisively ending the game and drawing away to a 5 1/4-length victory in the National Steeplechase Association’s richest fall timber race.

The victory, worth $45,000 to last year’s timber champion, propelled the eight-year-old Hard Spun gelding into the lead for this year’s… Continue reading →

The annual International Gold Cup card is slated for Saturday October 27th at Great Meadow and for the first time ever, wagering will be available on the entire combined steeplechase/flat program via www.XpressBet.com and at the four Virginia Bets Off Track Betting Centers. Betting has been available on site at Great Meadow for a number of years now. Post time for the eight race card in The Plains, Virginia is 12 Noon.

Member’s Hill is a popular… Continue reading →

The following appeared in the Thoroughbred Daily News October 26th. Boldor is a Virginia-bred that made his career bow October 25th at Keeneland. He was bred by Carlos Moore and Jill Moore and is trained by Steve Asmussen. Boldor is by Munnings, out of Senate Caucus by Siphon.

Boldor (Munnings) played second fiddle pari-mutuelly to fellow first-starter Super Steed (Super Saver), but the $700,000 OBS April graduate managed to hold off his better-backed rival to post a very impressive… Continue reading →

Follow The Dog because the latest Virginia Certified horse to collect multiple bonus checks courtesy of a pair of recent victories at Laurel Park. The two-year-old Maryland-bred colt connected in a $40,000 maiden special weight race September 14th, then captured the $101,000 Maryland Million Nursery Stakes this past weekend.

Prior to that first win, Follow The Dog finished second in his career bow on August 12th and again actually in that September… Continue reading →

The following piece was written by Don Clippinger and appeared at www.nationalsteeplechase.com. Wagering will be available on Saturday’s combined steeplechase and flat card at Great Meadow itself (both manned teller stations and self bet terminals available), at the four Virginia Bets OTBs and nationally via www.XpressBet.com.

Rosbrian Farm’s Optimus Prime, a Grade 1 winner and Grade 1-placed in his two American starts, heads the field for Saturday’s $75,000 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. 2), the featured hurdle race… Continue reading →